Kaleidoscope
by Mirakuru Rein
Summary: What happened right after Itachi killed the whole Uchiha clan and confronted Sasuke about the Mangekyo Sharingan. Lots of depressing stuff and angst and insightful yet stupid puns abound. Very subtle Kakashi x Itachi hints. One shot.


An exchange KakaIta fic thing my friend and I did. Except he didn't finish his yet and mine only had reeeaaaallll subtle hints of KakaIta. As everyone knows (and expected), I suck at romance.

So yeah…this is the first fic I've posted in like a YEAR, and I have to say, I'm quite rusty, so if this little ragged thing sucks, don't blame me. I decided to stay away from fic writing for a while, since all the subsequent fics I attempted to write _after _retrospect just didn't work out.

Now that that's done with (an explanation of my absence and a warning for the horribleness to come), let the fun begin! Enjoy!

----

_Kaleidoscope_

---

by Mirakuru Rein

x

---

x

"Wait."

Black on red swirls blinked and looked back.

"You don't think you're gonna get away with this, do you?"

"Oh? Will I?"

A left eye slowly opened to reveal its own Sharingan.

"Let's not get hasty now…Kakashi-san."

"Hasty? I think 'hasty' describes you killing your whole clan and leaving your brother traumatized as hell…what I'm doing right now is called 'instinct.'"

"Instinct, huh. So do you really think that _you'd _be able to stop me?"

"Why wouldn't I be able to?"

"Because…what you have just witnessed is fact. I killed my entire clan. The entire, _legendary _Uchiha clan. What makes you think one person, who possesses the Sharingan yet isn't suited for it, is enough to stop me?"

"I don't know. Willpower."

"Willpower. Hm." The Mangekyo turned towards the setting moon. "In that case, you are unworthy for me to even look at. What makes you think that _you _got to where you are on sheer willpower? Are you claiming your skill and strength were concoctions of a strong heart? Surely you understand that much of your foolishness."

"I suppose you'll never understand the Sandaime's lessons then."

"The Sandaime. What a foolish old man. As far as I'm concerned, whoever follows his lead is doomed to failure. Whoever follows a family, a country, and expresses loyalty to those things, is signing an early death note."

"So is _that_ why."

"Yes, perhaps. Or maybe I just killed my family on a whim."

"…and yet, you didn't kill Sasuke-kun. Somehow I suspect…maybe he's the only living thing you care for?"

A kunai suddenly flashed with silver-bright brilliance, and almost in slow motion, another collided against it with a sharp sound. Itachi looked at the two metal weapons on the ground in disdain.

"Don't be so hasty, Kakashi-san."

"Still using that word?"

"It was always your weakpoint. So ready to avenge death…perhaps you still feel guilt about another Uchiha, from which you procured your fancy eye from."

"Don't _lecture_ me on revenge," he snarled.

"Then don't try to stop me."

"Itachi!"

An audible sigh escaped the aforementioned's lips. "The moon is rather bright tonight, don't you think?" He unstrapped the katana from his back, unsheathed the blade, and stabbed it into the dirt, blood-stained and gleaming ominously in the subtle light. "Don't make me kill you on such a beautiful night. It's been drenched in enough blood, especially by those who possess that eye jutsu." He closed his left eye and tapped its eyelid lightly with his fingertip. "You aren't an Uchiha. Don't get involved."

"So you just expect me to watch you leave?" Outrage filled his words, and even Kakashi himself was a bit shocked at his impulsiveness. _What am I, stupid? Asking for a fight…_

Itachi smirked, the first time the jounin had seen the boy smirk, and it made chills run down his back. It was _that _smirk, the typical Uchiha smirk, that said obnoxiously, "I know something you don't." It was the type of smirk that made Kakashi hate the Uchihas so much, and yet cherish them at the same time….

"Kakashi-san. Do you believe in the future?"

He blinked. "What?"

"Believe in the future…and you will know that there is a destined time for me and you to fight. It is also fate that Sasuke will kill me – I am almost certain of it, unless he's too weak for it. And I also know that you will watch over him like no other person will, because of your past and my doubts. I believe in the future so much that I'm starting to hate it…"

The katana, ceremoniously staked in the ground like some kind of makeshift monument, suddenly toppled over with a loud dull sound, creating a cloud of dust around it.

"Look into a kaleidoscope one day, Kakashi-san, and maybe…you'll gain some insight."

He picked the katana up, covered in dirt now, the sticky blood remnants like glue.

"See you later."

Itachi, the bastard, didn't even try to run away. Somehow, in the back of his mind, he knew Kakashi would stay rooted to the ground, his legs like lead and completely useless, half because the copy ninja didn't want any trouble, and half because he believed what Itachi said. And for all of that mess and trouble, was another reason Kakashi hated, yet didn't mind, Itachi at all.

Only when the thin silhouette of the now newly-christened missing-nin faded into the midnight blue, did Kakashi's legs allow him to stand up weakly. He scratched his head absently, unable to bring himself to do anything but stare after that empty, blank spot on the slate of his panoramic view.

"Sorry, then, I guess…"

He felt absurd. _Sorry for what? _

"Sorry I didn't save you from trouble…that's another Uchiha I didn't manage to save from doom…"

He laughed out loud at the craziness of it all, but somehow, his heart just wanted him to sit down and cry.

x

----fin----

x

A/N: SO depressing, I know….still has some kinks to work out I guess but it's all right. -smiles proudly- I had to end it so angsty-ly since I felt I made it a little too happy by making Itachi give such knowledgeable advice to Kakashi, so…yups.

Hope you enjoyed it! Review please?


End file.
